5 Sweet Tips to Increase Ice Cream Sales
Owning an ice cream shop is a great business venture to start. You certainly won’t have to worry about the popularity of this treat. In fact, statistics show that the average person in the United States will eat ice cream 28.5 times this year. Another study found that nearly 9% of all the milk produced in the United States is used to make ice cream. That being said, it’s important to know how to attract more customers to your store. With that in mind, here are five tips to increase your ice cream shop customer base.
- Always Have Samples Ready
Many customers are going to be tempted by all of the delicious ice cream flavors in your store. It can be quite tough for them to find the right flavor. With that in mind, consider offering samples to your customers. You can pair tasting spoons with dessert cups to ensure plenty of sample supplies are available. In addition, offering samples can tempt someone into ordering that might not have otherwise. - Networking is Extremely Important
It’s understandable to hear the word networking and feel a wave of panic come over you. However, you’ll find that networking is a lot easier than you might think. After all, you network with your customer base almost every day. Considering that, partnering with other businesses could become a major source of revenue for your ice cream shop. Reach out to local grocery stores and restaurants in your area. You might be surprised to find how many other businesses want to offer local desserts to their customers. - Implement Various Deals
Nearly every customer wants to feel like they’re getting some type of deal. For instance, you could have a happy hour where certain treats are discounted. Many ice cream shop owners find it wise to offer loyalty programs to customers. This means giving customers a punch card or something similar. After each time a customer makes a purchase, their card gets punched or stamped. Once the customer has made a certain amount of purchases, you can give them a free treat. - Ask Customers What They Want
Over time, many ice cream shop owners find that several flavors simply aren’t selling well. As this continues, these flavors can begin eating into your profits. You’ve likely heard the saying that the customer is always right. This is definitely true while you’re needing new flavor ideas. With that in mind, customers are likely going to inquire about flavors you might not have. When this happens, make sure someone is writing down these suggestions. If customers are continuing to talk about several flavors, this is a sign your shop is missing out on potential top sellers. - Consider Selling Larger Sizes
Dessert cups and cones are must have items for your ice cream shop. However, you’ll want to think about also having larger containers on hand for customers wanting to buy in bulk. As your ice cream shop begins to gain a following, consider selling your products in pint and gallon containers. While this might seem a little risky, you’ll likely find that customers love this decision. If you don’t want to go overboard or have limited space issues, start packaging only your most popular flavors. As time goes on, you can add other flavors based on popularity. One flavor that fills many dessert cups is vanilla. In fact, a survey from the International Ice Cream Association found that 28% of consumers preferred the classic vanilla over all other flavors.
To summarize, there are several important ways to increase the popularity of your ice cream store. An important part of achieving this goal is having the right supplies. Therefore, it’s wise to ensure you’re ordering all sweet shop supplies from a reliable vendor. Owning a business takes a lot of time and effort. Partnering with a reliable supplier ensures everything from dessert cups to tasting spoons is taken care of. In turn, this allows you to place more focus into providing sweet treats that your customers love.
